Shaft-support



(No Model.)

A. J. WATSON.

I SHAFT SUPPORT. No. 393,946. Patented Dec. 4, 1888.

FhalwUlhcgnphur. Washington. a, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDRElV J. \VATSON, OF MARTINSVILLE, ASSI GNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ISAAC FECHHEIMERQOF TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA.

SHAFT-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,946, dated December 4, 1888.

Application filed August 83 T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ANDREW J. WATsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Martinsville, in the county of Morgan and State of Indiana,-have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shaft-Supports, of which the following is a specification.

My said invention relates to that class of devices by which the shafts or poles of vehi- 1O cles are supported at an elevation when not in use; and it consists in an improved construction whereby cheapness and efficiency are secured, all as will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar, parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle-axle and a pair of shafts secured thereto in the ordinary manner and provided with my improved shaft-support; Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectional view of the same, showing the shaft-support in side elevation; Fig. 3, a View similar to Fig. 2, except that the shafts are secured in elevated position; Fig. 4, a top or plan view of the shaft-support as seen when looking downwardly thereon when in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 5, a view looking toward the left from the dotted line 5 5 in Fig. 3; Fig. 6, a detail view through the two points of the shaft-support when they come together, looking upwardly from the dotted line 6 6 in Fig. 3; and Fig. 7, a detail section on the dotted line 7 7 in Fig. 5.

In said drawings the portions marked A represent an axle to a vehicle; B, the shafts thereto; 0, a whiflietree mounted on the crossbar B to said shafts; D, the portion of the shaft-support which is secured to the axle, and E the portion'which is secured to the crossbar B.

The axle, shafts, their cross-bar, and the whiffletree are or may be all of the ordinary or any desired construction, and will not be further described herein, except incidentally in describing the invention.

The support portion D, which is secured to the axle, is in the main a blade-like device, partly or wholly of spring metal, with a hook upon its end. It may be forged all in one piece or formed in-two pieces, as shown, and

Serial No. 284,007. (No model.)

when formed in two pieces that portion which. is secured to the axle is-preferably cast of malleable iron. It may be secured to the axle in any manner, but is preferably secured thereto 5 5 by clips, although bolts passing directly through it and the axle may be employed, if desired. \Vhen formed in two parts, the cast portion should be recessed and the spring por-. tion should fit into this recess and be there secured by a bolt, (Z. A slot or a series of holes may be provided in one or the other of the pieces through which this bolt may pass, and the spring por-, tion may thus be made adjustable on the cast portion. This arrangement is of value when the supports are made and sold in quantities to be used with vehicles of various kinds, wherein the distances between the axle and the cross-bar to the shafts are not all the same; but when the shaftsupports are made in the same factory with the vehicles they can of course be made of exactly the required length, and no adjustment is necessary. The blade or spring portion of this part is formed 7 5 with a slight twistor inclination, so that when the shafts are raised so that the part E has passed entirely beyond this part D it will on the return movement pass down on the opposite side from the hook, and thus the disen- 8o gagement is effected without the application of any power directly to the shaft-support; or, in other words, the engagement and disengagement be both effected by the vertical movement of the shafts themselves.

The support portion E is secured to the cross-bar B and projects backwardly just a sufficient distance to engage with the point of the portion D when the shafts are raised, as shown most plainly in Fig. 3. The point which comes into contact with the portion D is given a diagonal formation, as shown most plainly in Fig. 6, to assist it in passing the two sides of the point of said portion D as it is raised and lowered. It is forked or bifurcated and passes to both sides of the crossbar B, where it develops into plates or washers, which take the place of those ordinarilyused at this point, and also, preferably, has a third arm or portion which extends to above the whiffletree, and through these several plates or washers the bolt or pin which seecures the whiftietree to the crossbar extends, and this portion not only serves its own purpose, but takes the place of all other irons at this point.

,l'laving thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire t'osccure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination,with the axle and shafts of a vehicle, of a tongue-support made in two portions, one of which is secured to the axle E and consists partly of ablade adapted to spring laterally and provided with a hook on one side of its point, and the other of which is secured to the shafts or cross-bar in such relation to the spring portion that when the shafts are raised it will pass up behind the hook and engage therewith, and when they are still farther raised will pass entirely beyond the spring portion, and upon theirbeing lowered will pass down the other side, free I and to entirely pass said support portion D when they are farther raised, and return on the other side as they are lowered, substantially as set; forth.

3. The combination of the two portions 1) and E, forming a shaft-support, said portion E being also divided and passing ast ride the cross-bar to the shafts and formed to take the place of the washers or irons usually used at that point, substantially as shown and described.

r. The combination of the two parts I) and E, forming a shaft-support, the portion E being split or divided into three parts, one of i which passes above the whittietree, one between the \\'hit'tietree and the cross-bar, and the other below the cross-bar, whereby it serves, in addition to its purpose as a shaftsupport, to take the place. of the irons commonly used at this point, substantially as set forth.

Thecombination of thesupportportionD, consistingof t wo parts, one of which is recessed to receive the other and slotted for purposes of adjustment, a bolt by which they are socured together, clips by which the device as a whole is secured to the axle, a hook-point: upon the free end thereof, the support portion E, having its engaging point formed diagonal with its general direction and secured to the cross-bar of the shaft in such relation that when the shafts are raised it will engage with the hook-point on the portion 1), and divided or bifurcated at its point of union with the cross-bar, and thus adapted to pass on both sides of said cross-bar and take the place of the ordinary irons used atthis point, substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at: Martinsville, Indiana, this 533d day of August, A. I). 1888.

AXDRINV .l. \VATSUN, [L.

\Yitnesses:

I )1. MQXAIR, J. R. STARKEY. 

